For years, Florida waterway users have had to juggle multiple sources of information to plan, prepare and navigate safely to enjoy their time on the water. Understanding weather forecasts, finding local boat facilities, official warnings and notices, waterway zones, and safety equipment requirements requires several apps, websites and publications, leading to uncertainty about where and when to go, what to do and how to fully enjoy a range of water activities safely.
In a development for the boating community, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced a new initiative in collaboration with the National Safe Boating Council to pilot interactive safety content through a new free mobile app. DECKEE is designed to keep boaters safe and informed with these features: Plan your next adventure on the water with detailed maps, facility information, official warnings, aids to navigation and community insights.
Access personalized equipment checklists, boating forecasts, regulations and resources from the FWC to ensure you are always ready for the ideal weather window.
Automatically log your activities while on the water and share your live location to give friends and family peace of mind.
The FWC and the National Safe Boating Council will collaborate on the pilot program to seamlessly integrate safety content into the DECKEE app. This will help boaters plan, prepare and enjoy their activities on the water, and gain insight into how the campaigns are influencing overall boater behavior.
One example of an integrated campaign will be improving education and outreach about dangerous weather conditions, which significantly contribute to boating incidents. Many boaters need help understanding and interpreting the weather forecast, what it means for their boat and their intentions on the day.
The pilot program will introduce a personalized boating forecast targeted to the user’s watercraft and plans, which will give meaning to the information and help users make sense of it.
“Our goal is to create a safer boating environment for everyone in Florida,” said Brian Rewinkel, FWC Boating Safety Education Coordinator. “This pilot program will measure the effectiveness of delivering safety information directly to boaters in an engaging and accessible manner. This initiative represents a significant step forward in our commitment to protecting our waterways and those who enjoy them.”
Florida boaters are encouraged to explore the new safety capabilities in the free DECKEE app, available from the Apple App Store, Google Play Store or Deckee.com/ download.
